Shifting rail for vehicles.



PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

D. W. OONNELL.

SHIFTING RAIL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

3 wanton l mlmeooea.

r": NORRIS Psrzns cm. wAsumaroN, 0. c4

No. 831,833. PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906. D. W. GONNBLL.

SHIFTING RAIL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 513.23. 1906.

7 3 2 SHEETSSHEBT 2. 4 e

3 n untoz THE NORRIS PETERS cm, WAsnlNm'vN, n. c.

TED PATENT OFFIGE.

DAVID IV. OONNELL, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VELIE CARRIAGE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHIFTING RAIL FOR VEHICLES- Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed February 23,1906. Serial No. 302,624.

ful Improvement in Shifting Rails for Vehi- 1 cles, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to shifting rails for vehicles; and 1t consists of various improved features of construction designed to admit of g the ready removal or detachment of the rail without disconnecting the seat or back or side arms, to afford a firm and effective support for-the top-prop block and washer, and to provide such a connection of the rail with the lazy-back that the corner of the seat will be relieved of strain and the opening of the joints thereby prevented.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shifting rail detached. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a buggy-seat, showing my improved shifting rail applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional elevation on the line a a of the preceding figure. Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line Z) 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 0 c of Fig. 2, showing the form of the detachable connection between the shifting rail and the lazy-back.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a vehicle-seat embodying, as usual, a bottom 2, side panels 3, a rear panel 4, and a lazy-back 5, which latter may be secured to the rear panel in any appropriate manner, in the present instance by means of vertical stays 6, ap plied at intervals to the inner side of the lazyback and rear panel and firmly fastened thereto.

7 represents the usual side arms or rails fastened at their rear ends to the inner side of the lazy-back, whence they extend forwardly and downwardly and have their forward ends fixedly sustained in horizontal supportingplates 8, seated on the upper edge of the side panels near the front and extended downward along the inner face of the panels, to which they are fastened, and having their lower portions extended horizontally and seated on and secured to the bottom of the seat.

9 represents my improved shifting rail, consisting of the long rail proper, 10, having its forward end upturned and provided with a lateral stem 11 to sustain the top bow at the front. Near its rear end the rail 10 is provided with an integral laterally-extending arm 12, which gives support to the top-prop block, and extending upwardly from the rail where it unites with the arm 12 is a vertical brace-rod 13, the upper end of which is formed with an eye 14, seated against the outer end of a casting 15, secured to the inner side of the lazy-back near its side edge and some distance above its lower edge, the said casting being formed with a horizontal threaded opening 16, into which is screwed a fastening-screw 17, extending through the eye in the brace-rod and serving to fasten said rod detachably to the lazy-bacl Near its forward end the rail proper is provided with a depending threaded stem 18, extending loosely through an opening in ahorizontal lug 19, which lug projects laterally from the supporting-plate 8 and beyond the edge of the side panel, a fastening-nut 20 being ap plied to the stem and serving to secure the rail detachably to the side arm-support. Near its rear end the rail 10 is provided with a similarly-formed depending stem 21, extending loosely through an opening in a horizontal lug 22, seated on the upper edge of the side panel and fastened to the inner side of the same, a nut 23 being applied to the end of the stem and serving to fasten the rail detachably in position at this point. It is seen,

therefore, that the shifting rails are detachable bodily from their support, and this without the necessity of disturbing the fixed relations of the seat, the lazy-back, and the side arms, it being but necessary in order to detach the rails to remove the fastening-screws 17 and the fastening-nuts 20 and 23.

At its extreme rear end the rail proper, 10, is extended a slight distance, forming a stoplug 24 beyond the arm 12, which lug, in connection with the brace-rod 13, the arm 12, and the portion of the rail immediately in front of the arm 12, affords a rest or seat for the prop-block and the prop-block washer and serves to sustain said parts in their proper relative positions.

By means of the vertical brace-rod 13, secured to the inner side of the lazy-back near its side edge and some distance above its lower edge, the lazy-back is given firm and rigid support at this point independently of that afforded by the usual stays, so that all strain on the top is taken from the vicinity of the corner of the seat, thereby preventing the latter from opening.

By having the shifting rails terminate at the side edges of the lazy-back and free from any extensions at the rear of the same the rails are each in themselves separate and independent structures, and under these conditions their removal is effected with far less labor and time than if they were extended at the back and either joined as a continuous structure or fastened at the back of the seat.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The improved rail in the form of a unitary structure, comprising a rail proper, a lateral top-prop-block-supporting arm projecting from the rail proper a short distance forward of the rear extremity of the same thus leaving a stop-lug in rear of the supporting-arm, and an upright brace-rod extending from the rail proper at its junction with the supporting-arm; whereby said supportingarm, the stoplug and the portion of the rail forward of the brace-rod will serve conjointly as an efiectual support for the top-prop block and washer.

2. In combination with a seat and its lazyback, a shifting rail detachably connected with the seat, and a brace-rod extending upwardly from the shifting rail free of the lazy back, and having its upper extremity only detachably connected with the lazy-back.

3'. In combination with a seat and its lazyback, a shifting rail, detachable connections between the rail and the seat, an upright brace-rod rising from the rail near its rear end and provided at its upper end with an eye,- a casting or plate secured to the lazyback and formed with a horizontal transverse threaded opening, and a fastenings'crew extending through the eye in the bracerod and screwed into the threaded opening in the casting.

4. In combination with a seat and its lazyback, a shifting rail detachably connected with the seat, a'casting or block fixed to the forward face of the lazy-back about midway of its height with its outer end terminating at the edge of the lazy-back, an upright bracerod having its upper end applied to the outer end of the casting, and a removable fastening device securing said brace-rod detachably to the casting.

5. In combination with a seat, a lazy-back and side arms, means for connecting said parts in fixed relations, a shifting rail, and means independent of those first mentioned, for securing the said shifting rail detachably to the seat and lazy-back; whereby the shifting rail may be removed without disturbing the fixed relations of the other parts.

6. In combination with a seat, a lazy-back and side arms, means for connecting said parts in fixed relations, shifting rails at oppo site ends of the seat terminating at their rear ends at the sides of the lazy-back, means for securing said shifting rails to the seat independentlyof the first-mentioned means, and fastening devices for securing the shifting rails at their rear to the front of the lazyback.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 5th day of February, 1906, in the presence of two attesting witnesses. v

DAVID W. CONNELL.

Witnesses:

FRED H. COOPER, EUGENE Le TAYLOR. 

